


The Unlikely Two

by thatonelucky



Category: Jetty - Fandom, Riverdale - Fandom, bughead - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 18:31:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12941205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatonelucky/pseuds/thatonelucky
Summary: From the moment Jughead Jones stepped into Riverdale High, his chosen target was Betty Cooper. Teasing mercilessly and throwing insults, Betty doesn't know how much more she can take. From enemies to something entirely new.





	The Unlikely Two

                Jughead Jones was a colossal asshole, Betty had decided. His whole time knowing Betty he had tormented her, purposely provoked her and attempted to ruin every good thing in her life. It was a pain in her ass, she hated him. With a fiery passion in her heart; she hoped that he would get what he deserved one day.

                Funnily enough, Jughead was the quarter back for the Riverdale Bulldogs. Meaning that every girl wanted him and every guy wanted to be him. The only person that could come above Jughead was his best friend, Archie Andrews, but he was strictly off limits. Caught in some love spell Betty’s best friend, Veronica Lodge threw onto him.

                They weren’t an unlikely pairing. Veronica was the co-head cheerleader of the Riverdale Vixens and Archie was the co-captain for the Riverdale Bulldogs. They were the most expected couple in the entire school. Everyone could see the chemistry between them from the moment that Archie and Jughead had transferred from New York City.

                The two boys had been best friends their entire life, ever since Fred had adopted Jughead off of his abusive parents. Though, no one ever knew that story. As far as anyone was concerned, Jughead just took Mary’s maiden name and the two were brothers. No one ever asked for the logic, which was helpful seeing as it was a completely blatant lie.

                It didn’t take long for Jughead to sweep in and choose Betty as his victim. Every day giving sly comments about how prude she looked or how her tight pony tail must be why she’s so uptight all of the time. It was silly things but it’s the fact that it was happening every single day. He sat with her at lunch to be with Archie, who was too busy canoodling with Veronica. Leaving the two sworn enemies to bicker and ignore each other for an hour at least every school day.

                It was hell for Betty, but not for Jughead. He found a sick comfort in teasing Betty Cooper. At first, he thought it was just because he didn’t like her but he did find himself caring about her from time to time. If anyone else gave Betty grief, Jughead was the first one to jump to her defence. The mixed signals drove Betty crazy, deciding that maybe he just wanted to be the only reason she was miserable.

                Nonetheless, he gave it a good go at being nice when people had given Betty a few choice words. He rubbed her back and told her that it was going to be okay. He never knew what to do when she cried, he’d of hated it if he ever pushed her to those limits. The 2 or 3 times he had drove her over the edge were the worst of times.

                It wasn’t necessarily Jughead Jones being the problem. He was merely the catalyst of Betty’s emotions. She was almost thankful at times that he would cause an outburst because she got to release her hefty built up frustration. It was some kind of twisted favour.

                Betty didn’t have it easy. Her father let his alcoholism get the best of him when her sister, Polly Cooper, had finally left town. She was pregnant and on the run from her mother who was trying to force her to abort the baby. She refused, claiming it was all she had left to live for. That’s where she wasn’t wrong; the Coopers had nothing to live for. Their reputation had been dragged through the mud and back. Redemption was useless.

                Jughead hadn’t meant to say it that day. But the words came spilling out and before he knew it Betty had punched him square in the nose and ran away crying. He had no idea what he had done wrong until Veronica decided to tell him a small fraction of what Betty has to go through in her day to day life.

                The words that Jughead had said stuck with Betty for a long time. She never forgot to venom in his voice as he deliberately said the words he knew would hurt her the most. She’d never expected that he’d hated her that much. To put someone through so much pain every single day just for a kick? Betty had enough of his baggage.

                “Hey, Coops. You’re looking very uptight, as usual.” Jughead caught up with Betty who, having already seen him, was walking at a faster pace than usual down the corridor. He slung his left arm around her shoulder loosely, attempting to take out her pony tail. She’d had enough. Grabbing him by his letterman jacket, Betty tossed him off of her. He fell into a nearby locker.

                “Fuck off, Jones.” Betty seethed, kicking his fallen backpack out of the way and walking away. Jughead wanted to be mad, but a part of him found it hot. Betty standing up for herself instead of letting him bully her was way better than actually bullying her. There were a few students stood by their lockers snickering but Jughead didn’t care. He was way too invested in how this would play out, a small smirk etching across his face.

                “Hey, B, you okay?” Veronica pulled Betty into a quick hug, taking a note of her tired features. She hadn’t looked like she slept well last night. Sadly, Veronica wasn’t surprised. Constant worrying about Polly often kept Betty up at night, not hearing from your sister for 5 months was tough. It’s still a sore subject.

                “I’m good. Just keep Jones away from me.” Betty grumbled, kicking her feet slightly. She couldn’t be around him right now. After everything he’d said yesterday she couldn’t be bothered to deal with him. Especially since things at home were getting worse and worse. Betty’s dad was starting to drunkenly hit her whilst her mother watched from afar. Alice never did have a backbone.

                It wasn’t brutal beatings, just slaps and tripping over. She had a few bruises but she’d cover them up for school so that no one could see, attempting to keep up the persona of everything being okay when everyone could see that she was far from okay. Being okay wasn’t a part of Betty’s day to day life. Veronica knew it all.

                “Did it happen again?” Veronica caressed Betty’s cheek, tears welling in her eyes as she takes a good look at her best friend. Betty was in pieces, she didn’t look like the same girl she was last year, or even a few months ago. She was losing weight much too fast, she was losing the pink in her skin. It was like watching someone die and still walk around.

                Jughead didn’t take this as a hint to stop. He carried on mercilessly making her life hell because he found it funny. He didn’t think that Betty was in danger or that she could ever hate herself. Jughead thinks that Betty has it all and that’s why he gives her shit.

                He’d found out about Polly as soon as it happened. Word travels fast when a junior gets pregnant and her boyfriend completely leaves her to fend for herself. Jason Blossom was what Brits would call ‘a bit of a dick’. Betty hated him with a burning passion, so that means that Jughead hated him too.

                “I’m fine, V.” Betty lightly pulled Veronica’s hand off of her face, shrugging off any remnants of the past few minutes happening and faking a smile for the audience. That being the students in the corridors, ears wide open ready to absorb any drop of information that they can. It’s how they survive.

                High school kids feed off of others misery. It’s like a shark getting their first taste of blood. They won’t stop until they destroy every single thing. Rumours are the most popular of that sort; many got spread after Polly had left. Polly Cooper is pregnant with Jason’s baby? Well who’d of expected that, she’s a slut? They all are, the Coopers are weak.

                “Psst! Cooper!” Jughead irritatingly whispered from the row behind Betty in Biology. Of course, she pretended not to hear him. She’s sticking to her word of having nothing to do with him anymore. And she hopes that he will get that hint. “Cooper!” Jughead tried again a little louder this time. Betty relentlessly ignored him, avoiding every single possibility of an encounter.

                “What!” Betty yelled whilst stood in front of her locker that was being blocked by none other than Jughead Jones. He clearly wasn’t happy with Betty’s fruitless attempts at avoiding him, so he took it one step further. Refusing to move from her locker until she talked to him, Betty finally budged.

                “I only wanted to say that I’m sorry.” Betty almost choked on the air she was breathing in. Not in any of the time Betty had known Jughead, had he ever apologised for anything he’d done. That’s exactly why, standing right there, Betty legitimately choked in shock as Jughead just rolled his eyes.

                That was the first time that Jughead had surprised Betty. After that day, he seemed to back off a lot. Whenever Betty walked in the corridor, he remained away from her and respected her wishes. He wanted to renew himself with her, show her that he’s not just an asshole.

                Jughead found it hard to talk to people; he usually comes off as arrogant and cocky. He doesn’t intend for that to happen, but it does get him exactly what he wants whenever he wants it. He has 100 girls fawning over his every move and even if he doesn’t want them, he still has them. He was unsure on why Betty didn’t have any guys genuinely interested in her. Jughead thought she was beautiful.

                “You look pretty today, Cooper.” Jughead appeared next to Betty, complimenting her with a genuine smile. At first, she wanted to laugh but she knew that his punchline was going to come soon enough. One didn’t come; instead he nudged her arm slightly and stalked off in the opposite direction still smiling. That day, Betty smiled too.

                Jughead’s change in behaviour hadn’t gone unnoticed by Archie. His red headed brother mercilessly teased him about his sudden feeling change for Betty who seemed to be warming up to him too. Jughead could only chuckle in response, not denying his quick change.

                Veronica was doing the same that night, painting Betty’s nails an electric blue and bringing up Jughead’s behaviour. At first, Betty didn’t have a response.  She truly had no idea what to think about the situation. Jughead had always hated her and now he’s calling her pretty and completely stopping with the rude remarks. She couldn’t lie, she was happy about it.

                “Hey, Betts! Wait up!” Betty was walking to school when she heard Jughead call behind her. He looked slightly ruffled but he caught up to her in a flash. Perks of being the quarter back she guessed. His genuine smile was plastered on his face again as he saw Betty beam at his offer, “Can I walk with you?”

                This became a regular occurrence for the two; walking to school early in the morning just so they could take their time walking. During the first few mornings, Archie had no idea why Jughead was leaving an hour earlier than usual and refusing a ride. Following him one day, he saw Jughead waiting outside the Cooper household and walking to Riverdale High with his arm around Betty Cooper. Only to quickly drop it if someone walked past or if they made it through the school gates.

                Even Veronica knew that something weird was going on. At lunch they weren’t doing their usual bickering. They were sat in silence, texting rapidly on their phones with goofy smirks on their faces. Archie caught Jughead staring at Betty like she was his whole world on more than one occasion.

                “Are you dating Jughead?” Veronica blurted out one day to Betty who was laid on Veronica’s couch, cuddled up in a bundle of blankets. Her eyes were glued to the screen for a moment, watching Leonardo DiCaprio intensely for a moment.

                “Yes.” Betty spoke slowly; weary of how Veronica would react. Anyone would’ve known that Betty and Jughead were the most unlikely pairing in the world. They used to hate each other with a burning passion. But something in Jughead changed that ended up changing something in Betty too. No one knew that what Jughead saw one night could’ve changed their whole perspective on Betty Cooper.

                After screwing up the past few paragraphs, Jughead set his laptop down and decided to take a walk. He found himself walking past the Cooper house, ready to see nothing at all. But what he saw was frightening. Hal Cooper, striking Betty down and screaming at her with his greasy face reddening with every word. Betty stood up, poked her rather in the chest roughly and seethed some words back at him. To which he just walked away.

                Jughead watching from afar was difficult. He’d wanted to go in and comfort her as he always did when someone hurt Betty. But seeing her home situation changed his perspective on Betty Cooper. She wasn’t uptight, she wasn’t prude, and she wasn’t a slut. Betty Cooper was a beautiful warrior.

                And with that, Jughead made a promise to himself that he wouldn’t save Betty Cooper but he would help her to find the strength to fight her own way out. Not everyone needs a man to save their life; Betty had proved her strength already.  But Jughead’s task was to let her know just how beautiful and just how strong she is.

                Betty Cooper is her own hero.


End file.
